Non-twisting and non-flipping necklace

ABSTRACT

Twisting and flipping of a necklace along its length may be prevented by restricting the articulation of the links. By providing one section with links that permit articulation only in a vertical direction and another section with links that permit articulation only in a horizontal direction, flipping and twisting can be prevented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to necklaces, including those carrying decorativegemstones. In some arrangements, the necklace is a series of linkshaving settings for the gemstones. Along the length of the chain, as ittraverses around the wearer's neck, the links need to be oriented suchthat the gemstones face outwardly, i.e., away from the wearer. Should aportion of the necklace flip or twist, the gemstones in that portionwill then be facing either towards the wearer's skin or perhaps at anangle (e.g., 90°).

Conventionally, the design of the links do little to prevent thenecklace from flipping or twisting. However, by providing a combinationof links, where some of the links enable articulation in one direction(or, in one plane) with respect to the length of the chain while othersenable articulation in another direction at some angle with respect toarticulation of the prior links (or, another plane), flipping andtwisting can be prevented. In one implementation, the articulation ofone set of links is restricted to the vertical plane, i.e., up and downwith respect to the links, and the articulation of another set of linksis restricted to the horizontal plane, i.e., side to side with respectto the links.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a necklace;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are drawings of necklace links enabling verticalarticulation;

FIGS. 4-6 are drawings of segments of three links enabling verticalarticulation;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are drawings of necklace links enabling horizontalarticulation;

FIGS. 9-11 are drawings of segments of three links enabling horizontalarticulation;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are drawings of interconnecting links enabling bothhorizontal and vertical articulation;

FIGS. 14-19 are drawings of segments of three links incorporating aninterconnecting link joining links enabling either horizontal orvertical articulation; and

FIG. 20 is a drawing of a necklace indicating the deployment of thevarious types of links.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a necklace 10 comprising a combination of links thatresists flipping and twisting. A clasp 12 completes the necklace 10.

One type of link 20, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, enables articulationvertically or up-and-down, i.e., in the vertical plane of the link 20,with respect to its length (designated by the arrow “L”). The dashedline labeled “vertical” lies in the vertical plane with respect to thelength of the link. Each such vertically-articulating link 20 has afirst hinge element 22 and a second hinge element 24 that mates with theappropriate hinge elements 24 and 22, respectively, of other similarlinks 20 to enable such vertical or up-and-down articulation, asillustrated in FIG. 4 (links separated), FIG. 5 (links joined), and FIG.6 (links with articulation). By virtue of the action of the hingeelements 22 and 24, the vertically-articulating link 20 restrictsarticulation to the vertical plane.

Another type of link 30, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, enablesarticulation horizontally or side-to-side, i.e., in the horizontal planeof the link 30, with respect to its length (designated by the arrow“L”). The dashed line labeled “horizontal” lies in the horizontal planewith respect to the length of the link. Each suchhorizontally-articulating link 30 has a first hinge element 32 and asecond hinge element 34 that mates with the appropriate hinge elements34 and 32, respectively, of other similar links 30 to enable suchhorizontal or side-to-side articulation, as illustrated in FIG. 9 (linksseparated), FIG. 10 (links joined), and FIG. 11 (links witharticulation). By virtue of the action of the hinge elements 32 and 34,the horizontally-articulating link 30 restricts articulation to thehorizontal plane.

Additionally, the necklace 10 may also contain interconnecting links 40and 50, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, respectively. The first suchinterconnecting link 40 (FIG. 12) has a first hinge element 42 thatenables horizontal or side-to-side articulation and a second hingeelement 44 that enables vertical or up-and-down articulation. The secondsuch interconnecting link 50 (FIG. 13) has a first hinge element 52 thatenables vertical or up-and-down articulation and a second hinge element54 that enables horizontal or side-to-side articulation.

The first interconnecting link 40 is shown in a segment of three links—avertically or up-and-down articulating link 20 followed by the firstinterconnecting link 40 and then a horizontally or side-to-sidearticulating link 30, separately in FIG. 14, coupled together in FIG.15, and then articulated in FIG. 16. (The dashed lines labeled“vertical” and “horizontal” lie in the vertical and horizontal planes,respectively, with respect to the length of the link.)

The second interconnecting link 50 is similarly shown in a segment ofthree links—a horizontally or side-to-side articulating link 30 followedby the second interconnecting link 50 and then a vertically orup-and-down articulating link 20, separately in FIG. 17, coupledtogether in FIG. 18, and then articulated in FIG. 19.

In its most basic form, the necklace 10 will comprise a number ofvertically (or up-and-down) articulating links 20 and a number ofhorizontally (or side-to-side) articulating links 30. Where the necklace10 lays against the neck, the vertically or up-and-down articulatinglinks 20 permit the necklace 10 to follow the contour of the neck. Belowthe neck, the necklace 10 should lay flat against the wearer's chest,which is achieved by utilizing horizontally or side-to-side articulatinglinks 30. Because any given coupling of links 20 or 30 will allowarticulation in only one manner, either in an up-and-down or aside-to-side fashion, the necklace 10 will resist flipping or twisting.

The actual number of each type (links 20 and links 30) depends in parton the length of the necklace 10 and the circumference of the wearer'sneck. An equal number of each (links 20 and links 30) will worksatisfactorily but a different ratio of links 20 and 30 could beemployed as suits the application, for example, in a lengthy necklacewhere a substantial portion of the necklace 10 lays against the chest asopposed to against the neck of the wearer.

The necklace 10 is shown again in FIG. 20. The first and secondinterconnecting links 40 and 50 join the vertically or up-and-downarticulating links 20 on the upper portion 14 of the necklace 10 (thetop portion of the page) to the horizontally or side-to-sidearticulating links 30 on the lower portion 16 of the necklace 10. Again,the necklace 10 is completed by a clasp 12 which substitutes for one ofthe vertically or up-and-down articulating links 20. Recalling thedirectional references of FIGS. 2, 7 and 12, the necklace lies of FIG.20 lies in the horizontal plane while the vertical plane isperpendicular to the page.

In the figures, the links are shown in various sizes, alternatingbetween large and small. One may use different size links to accommodatedifferent sizes of gemstones or, should the gemstones all be equal insize, then the links may also be of equal dimensions.

In lieu of using the first and second interconnecting links 40 and 50 tointerconnect the vertically articulating links 20 to the horizontallyarticulating links 30, a coupling device consisting of a hinge elementthat enables horizontal or side-to-side articulation and a second hingeelement that enables vertical or up-and-down articulation would besufficient to interconnect the links of differing articulation, withoutthe need to accommodate a gemstone. Further, the other links of thenecklace 10 could also assume a different form and not carry gemstones,i.e., all metal.

1. A necklace, comprising: a first plurality of links, each link of thefirst plurality having first and second hinge elements that mate withother links, the first and second hinge elements enabling articulationin a first plane; and a second plurality of links, each link of thesecond plurality having first and second hinge elements that mate withother links, the first and second hinge elements enabling articulationin a second plane, where the second plane is at an angle with respect tothe first plane.
 2. A necklace as set forth in claim 1, where the firstand second hinge elements of the first plurality of links restrictarticulation to the first plane; and the first and second hinge elementsof the second plurality of links restrict articulation to the secondplane.
 3. A necklace as set forth in claim 1, where the first plane isvertical with respect to the first plurality of links; and the secondplane is horizontal with respect to the second plurality of links.
 4. Anecklace as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means forconnecting the first plurality of links to the second plurality oflinks.
 5. A necklace as set forth in claim 4, where the means forconnecting the first plurality of links to the second plurality of linkscomprises an interconnecting link comprising: a first hinge elementenables articulation in a first plane; and a second hinge elementenables articulation in a second plane, where the second plane is at anangle with respect to the first plane.
 6. A necklace as set forth inclaim 5, where the first hinge element of the interconnecting linkrestricts articulation to the first plane; and the second hinge elementof the interconnecting link restricts articulation to the second plane.7. A necklace as set forth in claim 5, where the first plane is verticalwith respect to the interconnecting link; and the second plane ishorizontal with respect to the interconnecting link.
 8. A link for anecklace, comprising first and second hinge elements that mate withother links, where the first and second hinge elements enablearticulation of adjacent links in one plane with respect to the link. 9.A link for a necklace as set forth in claim 8, where the first andsecond hinge elements restrict articulation to one plane with respect tothe link.
 10. A link for a necklace as set forth in claim 8, where theplane is vertical with respect to the link.
 11. A link for a necklace asset forth in claim 8, where the plane is horizontal with respect to thelink.
 12. An interconnecting link for connecting a first plurality oflinks to a second plurality of links in a necklace, comprising: a firsthinge element enabling articulation in a first plane; and a second hingeelement enabling articulation in a second plane, where the second planeis at an angle with respect to the first plane.
 13. An interconnectinglink as set forth in claim 12, where the first hinge element restrictsarticulation to the first plane; and the second hinge element restrictsarticulation to the second plane.
 14. An interconnecting link as setforth in claim 12, where the first plane is vertical with respect to theinterconnecting link; and the second plane is horizontal with respect tothe interconnecting link.
 15. A necklace, comprising: a first pluralityof links, each link of the first plurality having first and second hingeelements that mate with other links and restrict articulation betweenthe links to a plane vertical with respect to the links; a secondplurality of links, each link of the second plurality having first andsecond hinge elements that mate with other links and restrictarticulation between the links to a plane horizontal with respect to thelinks; and interconnecting links for connecting the first plurality oflinks to the second plurality of links, the interconnecting linkscomprising a first hinge element restricting articulation to thevertical plane; and a second hinge element restricting articulation tothe horizontal plane.